Becoming A Samurai Research Paper

Well to become a Samurai, you had to learn how to be one. Their education was much, much different from ours and very tough and painful. The first schools that were established were used to train the Samurai the way of the sword (or way of the laido). This taught them how to control themselves rather than the opponent. They used this tactic for over 450 years in battle. Then came the dojos, the dojos were used to practice martial arts without the use of a battlefield. This was during the Tokugawa period. While practicing, the dojos used wooden swords or bokken when they first practiced. This prevented major injuries or deaths, this also taught them the weak spots in Japanese armor. They also taught unarmed combat as well. However when joining

Throughout time and the late 1500s, they combines literary skills with traditional martial arts. They wanted individuals that were as talented with Chinese classics as well as the sword. When the Samurai trained however, many of them disagreed with how much education they should get while mastering the fighting skills. Some thought they don’t need to learn any of the arts of writing, literature, reading and art itself because they thought there was no need for it. They thought that way because of the ancient, ancient Samurai way of just having the “sword and spear culture”. Others disagreed with this and thought that there was a need for that type of education. They thought warriors or “Bushi” should do what their name means. Bushi means, “man of both the sword and the letters who never let the letters get out of hand”. Even though many people disagreed on this topic, non-martial arts (ie. literature, writing, reading, etc) weren’t a big deal if you didn’t learn it. To Samurai, it “wasn’t their main concern”. Them just learning it for fun wasn’t like them but at the same time, they couldn’t be an uncultured swine or

They were taught Samurai skills at home by their father or any male relative. Some could even be an apprentice to sword or archery masters.In later on periods clans set us schools for lower ranked Samurai boys, in these schools actually made learning martial arts mandatory. A funny tid bit, is that they were given warrior clothing and wooden swords at the age of five or six. When training, Samurai did not only master the skill of weaponry but also the skill of self control. Just like them mastering bows, arrows, and swords, they had to make sure their mind, body, and spirit were in condition. For the Samurai to be successful, all of his mind,body, and soul had to work together. This took many years of hard training to balance time and self- control, they were required to have this for them to be able to use the sword properly. Mental preparation was a big part in training because in the battlefield/battle, you need to learn how to have physical skills but also skills in where you can control your emotions. Since learning self- control was so important, Samurai started really early that way they wouldn’t develop any habits or patterns